Public-private partnership builds upon
Ohio's efforts addressing
human trafficking, housing across the state
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 27,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, a bipartisan group of
elected officials joined representatives from CVS
Health® (NYSE: CVS), Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority
(CMHA), Beacon 360 Management, and community leaders to announce
the opening of Harriet's Hope – a 52-unit, multifamily supportive
housing community – empowering survivors of human trafficking.
Named in honor of abolitionist Harriet
Tubman, who helped many escape slavery, Harriet's Hope is a
first-of-its-kind development for Columbus and among the nation's
first service-enriched housing communities exclusive to human
trafficking survivors. Residents will live in a community with
access to robust onsite case management and social services that
address the unique needs of human trafficking survivors, while also
encouraging rehabilitation and self-sufficiency. With construction
now complete, residents will begin moving in December.
![CVS Health (PRNewsFoto/CVS Health) CVS Health (PRNewsFoto/CVS Health)](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/487051/CVS_Health_Logo.jpg)
Harriet's Hope was made possible through expansive
public-private partnerships on the state and local level. Building
the $15.6 million property was made
possible through CVS Health's $10.6
million investment, facilitated through the Ohio Capital
Corporation for Housing (OCCH). Additional funders include
Affordable Housing Trust of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio Housing Finance Agency,
City of Columbus, Park National Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank of
Cincinnati, the Ohio Legislature,
Ohio Capital Impact Corporation and Ohio Capital Corporation for
Housing.
Joining forces for survivors
Vulnerable individuals of all ages and backgrounds are exploited
and forced into labor and involuntary sex work, and Ohio is no exception. In recent years,
Ohio has bolstered its response to
combat human trafficking through infrastructure development and
multisystem approaches, such as the state's Human Trafficking
Initiative led by Attorney General Yost. Now open, Harriet's
Hope will help the state carryout its mission to "end labor
and sex trafficking statewide," by providing survivors a safe space
for their healing and recovery journey.
"I'm grateful for the synergy between the public and private
entities we have working on this project," Attorney General
Dave Yost said. "Without such
partnerships, this kind of vital assistance would not be available.
Collectively, our duty is to establish the groundwork for resources
like Harriet's Hope to serve as the on-ramp to the highway to
hope."
Supporting vulnerable Ohioans
Recognizing housing's impact on community health outcomes, CVS
Health invested $10.6 million to
build Harriet's Hope as the initiative's sole equity funder.
Harriet's Hope is a further demonstration of the company's
commitment to address housing insecurities – and support
Ohio human trafficking
survivors.
"Whether forced into labor or sex work, human trafficking is
detrimental to the health of an individual and larger community –
making this both a health care and public health issue,"
explains Latasha Brown, MPA, CVS
Health's anti-human trafficking administrator. "Between the
supportive services we provide our Aetna-OhioRISE members who
survived human trafficking to my work on Attorney General Yost's
Human Trafficking Commission, every day I see the myriad of
physical and mental health challenges survivors endure. A survivor
cannot improve their overall health and wellbeing without stable
access to quality housing. For Harriet's Hope residents, this haven
will allow them to focus on their healing journey and position them
for a bright next chapter."
Health and healing
Complex challenges often arise when servicing the multifaceted
needs of this vulnerable population. Columbus-based co-developer
and nonprofit Beacon 360º Management initiated the program design
and will be responsible for the management and coordination of
supportive services provided at Harriet's Hope.
"We're grateful for the overwhelming support Harriet's Hope has
received by our local leaders, the business community, and CMHA
alike," shared Celia Kendall, CEO of
Beacon 360° Management. "In alignment with Beacon 360° Management's
commitment to provide innovative 'People First' solutions to
housing challenges, we collaborated with survivors to develop our
supportive housing model and it was clear that housing and
affordability were not enough to position survivors of such complex
traumas for success. How fitting that Harriet's Hope was
constructed on the very site where human trafficking once took
place will now be an instrumental solution to this issue."
"Harriet's Hope is just the latest example of CMHA being
laser-focused on providing housing and meeting the specific needs
of our neighbors in Columbus and
throughout Franklin County," said
CMHA Board Commissioner, Stephen
Daley. "Our goal is to ensure CMHA remains an innovative
agent for change and continues to evolve to meet the region's
housing and service needs. We're proud to be part of this
collaborative effort with Beacon 360° Management to address the
complicated challenges faced by survivors and vulnerable
populations. Harriet's Hope is a testament to our commitment to
holistic solutions that make a meaningful impact on the lives of
our community members."
Services will be tailored to the unique needs of trafficking
survivors, and supports each resident's immediate and long-term
goals – in addition to job-skills training and employment
opportunities. This includes comprehensive, trauma-informed case
management services provided by The Salvation Army, where
professionals collaborate with residents to create crisis
stabilization and safety plans.
Illicit drugs are often used on vulnerable individuals in the
human trafficking recruitment process, to induce compliance, create
dependency, punish and incapacitate an unwilling victim, or used to
cope with the trauma of being trafficked. Additionally, nonprofit
human services agency Alvis, Inc. will be administering
recovery-specific services as needed, including recovery counseling
and planning, alcohol and drug testing, and medication
oversight.
Workforce development and employment opportunities will also be
available through Columbus Works, a
Columbus-based nonprofit focused on eliminating poverty through
work force training, job placement, and long-term barrier removing
wrap-around services. Peer support will be provided by Freedom a la
Cart, a Central Ohio nonprofit
catering company that empowers human trafficking survivors by
providing job skills to foster self-sufficiency and stability. The
organization's staff will also provide Harriet's Hope residents
peer support.
About CVS Health
CVS Health® is the leading health
solutions company, delivering care like no one else can. We reach
more people and improve the health of communities across America
through our local presence, digital channels and over 300,000
dedicated colleagues — including more than 40,000 physicians,
pharmacists, nurses and nurse practitioners. Wherever and whenever
people need us, we help them with their health — whether that's
managing chronic diseases, staying compliant with their medications
or accessing affordable health and wellness services in the most
convenient ways. We help people navigate the health care system —
and their personal health care — by improving access, lowering
costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of
health. And we do it all with heart, each and every day. Follow
@CVSHealth on social media.
Media contact
Charlie
Rice-Minoso
224-213-1135
rice-minosoc@cvshealth.com
About CMHA
CMHA helps people access affordable housing
through collaborative partnerships, promotes neighborhood
revitalization and assists residents in accessing needed social
services. CMHA has more than doubled its portfolio of housing over
the last five years. It owns over 5,00 units of affordable housing
and through its Housing Choice Voucher and Project-Based Rental
Assistance Programs provides rental assistance to over 160,000
Ohio and Washington, D.C., residents. Learn more at
www.cmhanet.com.
Media contact:
Aaron
Schopp
614-448-6556
aschopp@cmhanet.com
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SOURCE CVS Health